


(Character study, bugs dying edition)

by Knife_Consumer



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: All hurt no comfort, Hornet is mentioned, but very briefly, hahaha character study. Bugs dying edition, idk if im tagging right please help, so is seer, why does all of the knight's friends die
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26240728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knife_Consumer/pseuds/Knife_Consumer
Summary: Tiso's dreamnail dialouge inspired this whole thing,, so it's kind of eh. Basically, what if the knight found Tiso before he died?Also first post 🐌
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	(Character study, bugs dying edition)

"Why?" Tiso lay in the ash and snow, clutching the gaping crack in his shell and shuddering out weak breaths. Silently mulling over his defeat, he thought to himself: "How could this have happened?" Though, in hindsight, he knew how. Yet the small fraction of pride he had left wouldn't let him admit it.

He had overestimated himself, to put it simply. Every time he encountered an enemy, wether they were passive or not, he would lunge at them. Often hacking the down within seconds. Every victory, no matter how small, stroked his ego. And whenever he talked to someone, he'd pinpoint their "flaws", often trvial and pointless. But putting others down boosted his confidence. And it felt good to be superior, even over something small and insignificant.

And after all this time, his hubris had finally caught up to him. It only makes sense that after his previous victories, he would fail at the trail of the fool. That's what he was, wasn't he? 

A fool.

Tiso realized that now, much too late. And as he lay on the ground he knew that there wouldn't be a second chance at the trial. Everywhere felt numb. The only thing he could register was faint pulsing near the wound on his abdomen, and the blood gushing down his sides. The rest of the world was a blur of color and sound. It felt like nothing else was real, but at the same time, it was like there was too much going on, and he wanted it to stop.

The soft tapping of feet eased him out of his trance, and with a thud, someone had landed next to his head. Looking to the side was difficult, but when he did, he was greeted with a familiar face.  
It was the dull little bug who he had met by the well back in Dirtmouth. They stared down at him, visibly distraught. Which was odd, concidering their usual deadpan expression. Not that their company mattered anyway. Tiso was already done for. 

Tiso groaned in acknowledgement for the little bug, then sputtered into a painful coughing fit. The little pale one sat down to Tiso's level and dug around in it's coat pockets, pulling out a white flower. So vibrant, so pure, it looked like it was glowing. So bright that Tiso could see it, even through his blurred vison.

"A flower" Tiso thought, "As if a stupid flower will fix anything. Is this little grub mocking me? Intead of getting help they think it's funny to-" His thoughts were interrupted by a voice, quiet and raspy,

"Help?... Can't"

Who had said that? Tiso looked around confused, eyes landing on the smaller bug, who then gently placed the flower in the ant's hand. "Take."  
They spoke again, "Sister... sister hornet mean. Won't help... fight only."  
Tiso thought for a moment... "Sister... mean? Ah, the girl with the red dress and a needle that she tosses around? Iv'e seen her."

The little bug nodded, "Hornet"

How were they speaking? Now that he really thought about it, they didn't have a mouth, did they? At least not a visible one. And how could they tell what he was thinking? Shortly after the thought passed his mind, the smaller bug spoke up again:  
"Speak in... head. Dreamnail you can't see. Mind... ungaurded. Only way speak."

"What the hell is a dreamnail?"

"Moth... gave"

Well, that didn't awnser anything.  
Having heard enough, Tiso looked back to the sky, the hole below the colosseum looming over a good portion of the kingdom's edge. If he stared long enough, he would see a body fall,

folowed by another... 

and then another...

and another...

And more still after that. This made him think, just how many had died in the colosseum? How many had hopes similar to his own? The same self-confidence, only to have it all crushed when they realized they wouldn't make it out alive.  
He could feel his own blood having pooled around him, no longer warm.  
It was over.

Tiso trembled weakly at the thought, even curling his fingers around the flower the little one had gave him was difficult. As he closed his eyes, the little bug shook him lightly, forcing them open again

"Tiso. Tiso... Stay."  
Tiso sighed and relaxed his mussels

"You promised... fight. Promised to me."  
His vision faded into a tunnel. He closed his eyes again.

The little bug shook him more, panicked. His breathing slowed.  
"Don't... please. Friend..."

All went silent. The little bug silently stared down at the corpse of their friend. And while they did care for Tiso, they couldn't seem to cry.

Why were they like this? Deep down, they knew they weren't the same as everyone else. That something was missing. Hornet told them to follow her if they wished to know the truth. But what was that truth, exactly?

Setting off to find her, they gave Tiso one last glance before darting away.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, headcannon that the knight can communicate with people by sharing a mind?? As in, like, they can kind of just project their thoughts into someone's head. But only when they aren't focused, they're near death, or when they're just in a nothing state of mind. So not that often.


End file.
